…thousands to tap service for first time

GUYANA Water Incorporated (GWI) is advancing works in Region 1 (Barima/Waini) to provide improved water access as well as first time access to thousands of Guyanese in several communities.

A team of GWI officials led by Managing Director, Dr. Richard Van West-Charles, over the weekend visited several sites where works are being conducted or will commence shortly, GWI said in a release. According to the Managing Director, this is in keeping with the mandate of President David Granger to ensure equity between the Hinterland and the Coastland.

Mabaruma

The utility is examining the water supply system in Mabaruma, a community which has three springs as the source of water. There is an overhead storage tank that has been refurbished recently and activated and the springs cleaned. Executive Director of Hinterland Services, Mr. Ramchand Jailal explained that the challenge which exists in that community is the limited supply due to the recently encountered extended dry period where the springs recharge has been slower than normal. As a result of this, new wells have been drilled in the community at an average depth of 150 meters but water has been found in very small quantities. As a result, drilling will be undertaken to an increased depth of about 230 meters. Currently, additional drilling pipes are being mobilized to advance the deeper drilling.

The drilling of a well has commenced in the community of Kamwatta, where some 450 residents, inclusive of a school and health centre will benefit from first-time access to potable water. Following drilling in Kamwatta, a well will also be drilled in the community of White Water, where some 1,700 residents will benefit from first-time and improved access to potable water.

According to GWI, in Port Kaituma, a new well has been drilled and the laying of some 4KM of pipelines is 50% complete. Other works to be executed are: the construction of the discharge-the connection from two wells to the transmission line, and the interconnection and installation of gate valves, which are used to control the water supply network. Disinfection of the pipelines will also be done before the new wells are activated. Some 540 residents will benefit from improved water access.

Mr. Jailal explained that the current source of water for the residents is the Port Kaituma River, which is at risk of contamination from mining, agricultural and other activities. Therefore, well drilling is a move to transition 50% of Port Kaituma to groundwater supply. This includes the school, hospital and the entire Fitsburg area. GWI is working to supply 24 hours potable water throughout the community.

Additionally, in approximately three weeks, a drilling rig will be mobilised to drill a new well between the one and two miles area. This well will provide some 800 residents between one to four miles with first time access to potable water.

In the community of Matthew’s Ridge, water is supplied to residents from a spring using gravity feed and that water is also disinfected. However, following a visit to the community, GWI is now convinced that that supply is inadequate to meet the needs of the community.
Therefore, plans are also in place for the drilling of a well in the community, which will ensure that its some 940 residents have an improved supply of water. According to Dr. Van West-Charles, all of the aforementioned works in Region 1 will be completed within the next 2 months. He acknowledged that there may be other communities in the region without water access while pointing out that as those discoveries are made, provisions will be made in the utility’s 2020 capital program.

The Managing Director noted that the region has a series of riverain communities and the utility has to ensure that schools and health facilities in particular have an adequate supply of potable water. He also took the opportunity to highlight that works have been done in Smith Creek and Powaikuru. He said that GWI has had the full cooperation of the Regional Executive Officers of Regions 1 and 9 as works are being executed in these regions. They have been making stellar contributions in working along with the company. This year has been dubbed as a historic year for the water utility as it has more aggressively pursued well development and drilling. This forms part of the company’s efforts to ensure safe water for all, a Sustainable Development Goal.